He said arrangements were being made to send 14 additional ventilators from Sabah and Selangor as soon as possible for use by the victims.

“Intensive care is also being provided for the victims requiring such care while elective surgery at the hospitals (where the victims are warded) have been postponed to give priority to the mine explosion victims if they need immediate surgery.

“If there’s a need for additional medical personnel including specialists, the ministry is prepared to mobilise them from Sabah or the peninsula,” he said in a statement yesterday.

In the 9am coal mine explosion yesterday in Selantik, Pantu, near Sri Aman, three foreign workers perished while 30 others were injured.

Dr Noor Hisham said immediately after the Sarawak Health Department’s operations rooms received information on the incident at 12.30pm yesterday, three medical teams from the Sri Aman Health Office and ambulances were dispatched to the scene to provide emergency treatment.

“Thirty victims were sent to the hospitals for examination and treatment, with four of them warded at Sri Aman Hospital and 26 at the Sarawak General Hospital in Kuching. However, information on the other victims have not been known yet,” he said.

Dr Noor Hisham said his ministry sympathised with the victims of the incident and hoped their family members would be patient during this trying time.